Concentrating
by ChatterNoMatter
Summary: An Apritello one-shot based of the wonderful novel fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. When April can't concentrate on a book she wants to read what will donnie do to help her gain her focus. A sweet Apritello one-shot.


Hey guys so here's my first Apritello one-shot. I based if of a scene in the book _fangirl: by rainbow Rowell _if you haven't read it yet I highly recommend it.

It might be a bit strange if you haven't read the book because Donnie is supposed to represent cath who is a female in the book so it might seem a bit occ.

_**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters or the books or tv show all rights go to the respectful owners.**  
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><p>When donnie saw it was April standing outside his temporary lab, he was so happy to see her friendly face, he just let her in. He didn't even bother asking why she was here.<p>

"Is Casey in here?" She asked as soon as she was in the room. Her face was no longer friendly. Her forehead was furrowed, and her little bow lips were drawn tight.

"No," donnie said. "He's still out with the guys."

"**Fuck**," April said, leaning back against the barn door. Even when enraged she was beautiful.

"What's wrong?" Donnie asked. What would she want with that puck head anyway?

"He was going to study with me," she said.

"Oh...," Donnie said not understanding. "Well, you can study in here if you want."

"No." Angry. "I need his help. We were supposed to study before...'the invasion' but he put me off, and I still want to get this done-"

She hurled a book down on the spare bed, then sat on the end of it, looking away from him still hiding her face. "He said he'd study with me."

Donnie walked over and picked up the book, ignoring he anger. "The outsiders?"

"Yeah." She looked up. "Have you read it?"

"No. Have you?"

"No."

"So why don't you read it?" He asked confused.

April shook her head and looked at the floor again. "You don't understand. I can't just read the book."

"Why not," he asked gently taking a small step forward. "Were you just going to let Casey read it to you?"

She shook her head again - not in answer, more like she was shaking her head at the very idea of reading the book.

"I'm just... Not much of a book person."

He couldn't believe April just said that. I'm not a book person. Like books were rich desserts or scary movies.

"Yeah, but this is for you." He said. "Would you let Casey ever take a test for you?"

"Really, like that's an option."

Donnie dropped the book next to her on the bed and went to his desk. "If you really want to know about it you could just watch the movie." He said as he grabbed his homemade laptop.

"It's not available."

Donnie made a noise like hunh in his throat. Placing the laptop back in it's rightful space.

"You just don't understand donnie. I do want to read it." April stated.

"So why not read it then?"

"It's not that simple." She pushed her bangs out her face. April was standing now; she'd walked to the door, but Donnie wouldn't turn to face her. He was tired of this fighting in any sense of the term. This fight wasn't even his.

"Okay," he said, "so maybe I don't understand, but Casey isn't here, and I have some work to do... So maybe I could help-" he heard her jerk open the door. She was leaving, really?!

"I tried to read it," she said roughly. "I've been trying for the last two hours. I just," she sighs "I can't concentrate."

Donnie turned to look at her, completely baffled. If anyone couldn't concentrate it should be him, not her. She lived here when she was younger, he didn't. Why is it hard for her now?

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"Jesus christ donnie," she moaned, turning towards him again. "your the smart one, I just can't seem to concentrate."

"But I don't get why you can't concentrate, you used to live here."

She sighed pacing in front of the door. "It's like I can't focus," she said. "I read the same paragraph over and over, and I still don't know what it's saying. Like the words go right through me and I can't hold on to them."

"Okay," he said trying to understand problem.

She looked back, just far enough to face him, glaring at him. Donnie's faces fell. She was getting mad at him over nothing. She just needed to calm down.

"Come on April it's just a book." Sighing again she sat back on the bed.

"I'm sorry donnie, I don't know why I so bothered with this."

"It's ok April," he sat on his desk chair facing her, "we're all a little stressed, I can't blame you."

"Yeah, I guess it's just so much has happen and I think it's starting to take it's toll."

"Hey and If you ever need to yell at someone for no reason I'm your guy." Although he said it sarcastically he really did mean it, he'd do anything for her.

She kicked one of the legs of his chair playfully, then rested her feet there. "Thanks for understanding." She gave him a light smile making the purple clad turtle blush, and turn away slightly. "I'm still mad at jones though." She whined quietly. "Are you sure you haven't read the book?"

Finding the book on the side of the bed, Donnie looked down at the paperback.

"I have nothing for you. All I know about the outsiders is 'stay gold, ponyboy.'"

April ran her figures through her bangs, he was starting to think it was a nervous tick of hers, pushing her hair out of her face. Donnie shuffled the pages with his thumb... It really was a short book. With tons of dialogue.

He looked up at April. The sun was starting to set, and she was sitting in a wash of orange light.

Donnie turned his chair towards the bed, knocking her feet without warning. Then he rested his own feet on the bed frame.

_"'When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house-'"_

"Don," April whispered. He felt his chair wobble and knew she was kicking it. "You don't have to do that."

"Obviously," he smiled. _"'When I stepped out into the bright sunlight-'"_

"Donatello."

He cleared his throat, still focused on the book. "Be quite, I'm trying to do you a favour here... _When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had just two things on my mind..."_

When donnie glanced up between paragraphs, April was smiling. She bent forward, shifting on the bed. Then she found a new way to rest her legs on his chair and leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes.

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><p>Donnie had never read out loud this much before. Fortunately it was a good book, so he sort of forgot after a while that she was reading out loud and that April was listening. An hour or so passed, maybe even two, before donnie dropped his hands and the book. The sun had finished setting, and the only light in the room was a desk lamp.<p>

"You can stop if you want." April said.

"I don't want to stop." He look down at her. "I'm just really"- he was blushing, he wasn't sure why-"thirsty."

April giggled and sat up. "Oh... Yeah. Let me get you something. You want soda? Water? I could bring you back some coffee real quick."

He was about to tell her water would be fine, but then he remembered how long it had been sine he'd had a good cup of coffee. "Really?"

"I'll be back in a minute." She said, already making her way out the door. Donnie tense, remembering how angry she was the last time she stood there.

April smiled.

Donnie didn't know what to do, so he sort of nodded and gave her the worlds lamest thumbs-up ever.

When she was gone, he stood up and stretched. His back and shoulders popped. He went to the bathroom. Came back. Stretched again. Checked his phone. Then lay down on the bed. He'd left the door unlocked, so when she knocked, donnie just sat up and told her to come in. He'd meant to get up and sit back on his desk but April had already handed him the drink.

"Scoot over."

He did, scooting towards the pillow and leaning against the wall. He grab the book and looked over to April, setting his drink down.

"Thank you" the quite voice called.

"It's no problem, it's a good-" donnie stated.

"No I'm serious." April pulled the book down and looked at him. "Thank you."

Donnie held her eyes for a few seconds. Then nodded and pulled the book back.

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><p>After another twenty pages, donnie was getting sleepy. At some point, April had leaned up against her, and then he'd leaned back. It was hard to think about what was happening on the side of his body because he was busy reading... Though there was almost an entire chapter where his lips and eyes where moving but his brain wasn't keeping track of anything but how warm she was. It was really late. And too dark in the room to be reading this much. Donnie's voice was rough now, like someone had run a dull knife across it. Like he was recovering from a cold or a cry jag.<p>

Some point April had put her left arm around the turtle and pulled herself up against his plastron. He was almost certain that she could feel his breath in her hair, but she said nothing.

He wondered whether there was any blood left in his arm.

He wondered what would happen when they got to the end of the story.

He kept reading.

There were too many boys in this book. Too many arms and legs and flushed faces.

He'd expected to laugh when he finally got to the line "stay gold, ponyboy," but he didn't, because it meant that Johnny was dead, and he thought that maybe April was crying. Maybe donnie was crying too. His eyes were tired. He was tired.

_"'When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home...'"_

Donnie closed the book and let it fall on Aprils chest. He wasn't sure what would happen next. Not sure he was awake all things considered. The moment it fell he pulled her into him. Onto him. With both arms. Her chest against his plastron, and the paperback slid between them.

Donnie's eyes were half closed, and so were Aprils- and her lips only looked small from afar, he realised. They were perfectly big, really, now he had a good look at them. Perfectly something.

She nudged her nose against his snout, and there mouths fell sleepily together, already open and soft.

When Donnie's eyes closed, his eyelids stuck. He wanted to open them. He wanted to look at her pale face, her all to dark eyebrows, her wild, out of place hair - he had a feeling this was never going to happen again and that it might ruin what was left of his life, so he wanted to open his eyes and bear some witness.

But he was so tired.

And her mouth was so soft.

And April had never kissed him like this before. Only that one time after the big foot incident. But that was like getting push squarely on the mouth and not getting the chance to push back.

Aprils kisses were all talking. Like she was drawing something out of him with soft little jabs of her chin.

He brought his fingers up to his hair, and he couldn't open his eyes.

Eventually, he couldn't stay awake.


End file.
